Player: Efren Reyes
Event: WNT Legends Event
Location: Quezon City, Philippines
Date: January 22, 2026



For a legends series, pool has it better than some other sports. In baseball, pitchers lose their velocity. In basketball, the bounce isn't quite the same at 52 compared to 25. But in pool, the eyes might fade. The elbows might get a little shaky. The otherworldly talent and imagination, though, are two aspects of a player's game that will stick around, even in diminishing amounts.

Matchroom's World Nineball Tour brought four of the game's greatest to the Philippines for a three-day celebration of the elder statesmen of 9-ball. Francisco Bustamante, Ralf Souquet, Efren Reyes and Earl Strickland would all agree their best days are behind them, though the American and German are still out there matching up in events on the pro circuit on the regular.

In a mix of one-on-one sets and doubles matches, this exhibition was an effort to present pool a bit outside of the grueling exercise it can be at its highest levels.

In one race-to-11, Strickland led Reyes, 5-2, when the Filipino legend came to the table as shown in the diagram. Stuck behind the 4, Reyes had an angle on the one-rail kick to the 1. What he created, though, was something entirely different.

Playing a thin cut on the 1 after contact with the footrail, Reyes, intentionally kissed the cue ball of the 1 in such a way to send the 9 ball six diamonds up-table and into the top right corner pocket (after rattling off the pocket jaws).

The shot, regardless of Strickland's eventual 11-6 victory in the set and the event as a whole, was a reminder of Bata's genius. Age is undefeated, but sometimes it gets a run for its money.

(Check out Accu-Stats' full library of great shots and amazing matches at www.accu-stats.com)